Savior
by libowie
Summary: [“I miss him sometimes, you know.”] It's my anniversary! A year ago on this day I started fanfiction, with this story. So what better way to celebrate than write a second chapter?
1. Savior

Savior

"Gran Gran is that story really true?" asked a curious water tribe girl." You know that one about the Avatar." She finished just as her brother trotted up to the two. Gathering the two youngsters in her lap she barley rocked her old bones back and forth.

"Ahh, yes dear children" came the old woman's soft reply. "Would I lie to you?"

The small girl tilted her head back in laughter, and the boy, being the older and more sarcastic of the two, eyed the village granny suspiciously.

"Don't give me that look" the old woman chuckled as she ruffled the young boy's ponytail.

"Gran Gran, don't" the child whined as he smoothed his hair back into place. Recalling the story they were talking about earlier the boy's eyes narrowed and his voice grew serious. "I hate the fire nation" he said bitterly.

Seeing such anger in the boy's eyes when he said that mad the old woman's heart break.

"Hush boy" she said snaking her old arms around the kids' shoulders. "You don't need to worry about them" she comforted. An old man suddenly entered the igloo.

"Alright youngsters, time to get some rest" he said as the kids slid down and climbed towards the bed they shared.

"Night Gran Gran "the girl called as she snuggled up next to her brother.

"Goodnight" Gran whispered with a smile. She returned her gaze to the old man pulling up a chair next to her."

"Telling more of the village kids Aang's story, I see" the old man said smiling. The old woman nodded and stared out at the artic sky and allowed herself to drift back to that fate- changing day were her brother, herself and her best friend saved the world.

_-Flashback-_

_She rushed down the unbearably long corridor toward the room where the battle between the Avatar and Fire Lord Ozi was going on. Outside of the palace two huge armies - one consisted of the earth kingdom and the water tribe soldiers, the other of the fire nation- fought the last battle in this century long war. _

_How bittersweet._

_Although her father had told them not to go, Katara and Sokka had made a promise to Aang. A promise to always be there when he needed them, and he really needed them now._

_Katara was only barley aware of her brother running beside her, only barley aware of her own two feet on the ground. After what seemed like an eternity they finally reached the large, already open door. The two water tribe kids rushed in through the door, only to find a sight that made them stop dead in their tracks. _

_To their relief, and the relief of the world, they saw Fire Lord Ozi's lifeless body lying on one side of the room, but to the siblings' dismay they saw Aang lying on the other side of the room in a similar condition. _

_Katara was in to much shock to speak, but she heard her older brothers' tear strained words._

"_No…**NO, AANG!"**_

_Before she could really register what happened she felt her legs carry herself over to where Aang lay. Followed by Sokka she knelt down by the young boy. Katara could feel the tears streaming down her face as she cradled the 12 year old. _

"_Aang, can you hear me… c-can you hear me?"_

"_K-Katara?" was all the young boy could say before falling into a mad coughing fit._

"_You did i-it Aang" Sokka whispered "You ended everyone's suffering… and b-brought peace back to the four n-nations…"_

"_Good" he shakily replied, before taking Katara's hand, then Sokka's "I'm scared guys…I don't wanna die."_

_This was too much for Katara and she broke down into sobs. Nobody wanted him to die, but all of this was just too much for his little body, and they all knew what was going to happen._

"_Promise you'll remember me… and tell my story, okay" Sokka nodded and Katara slowly leaned and kissed him softly on the cheek. Naturally, because the three were so close, no one needed the other to say just how much they cared for each other, because strangely, there were no words to explain. As the light left his grey eyes he managed a few last words "I love you guys"._

_-End Flashback-_

"Just like we promised" the old woman whispered.

"He saved a lot of people you know Katara" the old man continued "he saved you, and me, and basically the whole world. He saved them" he said gesturing to the two sleeping children that reminded him so much of himself _and_ his sister when they were young.

"Aang saved everyone from the wrath of the fire nation"

Still staring into the moon and stars she replied "And yet we couldn't do that one thing for him. We couldn't protect him"

"Wha- Katara, please don't start this." Sokka pleaded with his younger sister. "He saved everyone!"

"Not everyone Sokka" A single tear fell from her deep blue eyes, and she didn't bother to wipe it away "H-he couldn't save himself".


	2. Sometimes

Sometimes

"_I miss him sometimes, you know."_

"_No" the young boy said, putting his hands over his sister's small shoulders. "I don't think we do."_

_- - -_

"Where are the kids, Sokka?" the old woman asked, ducking under the tent flap and hobbling over to where the old man crouched by the fire.

"Oh," Sokka began, looking up at his sister and sticking his thumb in the opposite direction. "They were going fishing this morning- I must've forgotten to mention it."

"Fishing?" she asked, and her eyes got swimmy.

"Aw- jeez, Katara. You gotta forget him sometime."

"I think… I think I'll see if they'll let me go with them. You know, so we can have fish for dinner…"

Sokka shook his head- he was well aware of the real reason Katara wanted to go fishing with the kids. "Okay, fine." he said, but she was already halfway out of the tent. "Be careful! And if you're looking for the iceberg, don't go left!"

The air was soggy that day, and it seemed to weigh down all around her as Katara walked to the docking canal. She had the faint idea that maybe she should be running, but her old bones had experienced far too much of that in her younger years. Instead she walked at her measured pace, and breathed a sigh of relief when the children came into view.

Upon closer inspection she realized the kids were already off dock and paddling out father into the ocean. In a last bit of desperation Katara let out a feeble cry of "wait…" before stretching her withered arms back into use and bending herself an ice raft.

Thrusting her arms behind her the old Waterbender propelled forward at an alarming speed, and in the small canoe childish eyes widened (like his eyes used to) and mouths dropped.

Katara shot over toward the edge of the boat and leaped off the ice, landing in the canoe and rocking it violently. Plopping down in the middle of the boat she smiled, and gently inquired if, perhaps, may she come along on this journey, for it had been such a long time since she had been on one, and she really did miss the adventures so.

The boy was the first to speak. "Uh, we were actually just going fishing…"

Katara grinned. "Well how do you think me and Sokka's adventure started in the first place?"

On the way there things were mostly quiet, the small girl eyes wide and drinking everything in and the boy leaning back in skeptic thought (but he was really excited, Katara knew the type). No one dared break the spell.

Finally, when the pull was getting stronger on her heart, Katara stood; eyes closed, and let her bending lead the way. Through her eyelids things began glowing blue, and she knew her memory was telling her that _this was the place_. A gasp from the young girl confirmed her thoughts, and Katara open her eyes to be hit with a basketful of thick, heavy emotions. For a second she couldn't swallow, _couldn't breathe,_ and only a small voice stopped her from dropping to her knees right there from the weight building up in her chest.

"Are we gonna find adventure today, Master Katara?"

"No…" there was a significant pause, and the boy noticed for the first time such deep pain in an old woman's eyes. "Today… I think we'll just visit an old one."

It was the boy who took the first step out of the canoe (partly because he was getting uncomfortable, and partly because he likes being first) and as he helped his sister out and they both took hesitant steps forward Katara felt like she was being hit with a moment straight out of their part. _Their past_.

For a long time Katara just stood in the boat while it rocked her back and forth, up and down, and watched the children, expressionless. Then, very slowly, with eyes wide like a newborn, she stepped onto the iceberg.

There was a tiny cry (that came from my mouth, Katara realized) and she closed her eyes as if in pain, but she didn't draw her foot back up. Instead she lowered the other one down, until she was standing completely on the iceberg. For the next few moments Master Katara's eyes were very far away, like she wasn't quite there, and she walked up to lay a hand on the slope of the ice.

Finally, a break in the silence, _a crack in the ice_, came in the form of one deep, weepy breath.

"I miss him sometimes, you know."

"No" the young boy said, putting his hands over his sister's small shoulders. "I don't think we do."


End file.
